


Fealty

by historymiss



Category: Gideon the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir
Genre: Eternal vowing, F/F, Projected future book content, Spoilers for the end of Gideon the Ninth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-13
Updated: 2019-11-13
Packaged: 2021-01-30 00:37:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21419317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/historymiss/pseuds/historymiss
Summary: Harrow has taken and taken and taken of Gideon Nav- the least she can do now, at the end of everything, is give it back.With thanks to necromanticatheart, for the beautiful words & the inspiration.
Relationships: Gideon Nav/Harrowhark Nonagesimus
Comments: 8
Kudos: 131





	Fealty

It ends, perhaps, like this:

They meet again after the battle. Salt water laps around their feet, stained an inconsistent pink from the blood that decorated their robes, their swords, in vivid splashes.

Harrow looks so much older than Gideon remembers. In this place, she is a narrow slash of black with wild hair and eyes shadowed by paint and too little sleep. She sways slightly as she walks towards Gideon, who stands, unsure of herself and her so newly reclaimed body.

“Harrow?” How good, still, to say that name with her own mouth. “What are you doing?”

“The cruelest thing anyone has ever done to me in my whole entire life.” Harrow licks lips caked with dry, black paint. “Your life is yours, Griddle. you’re free of me now.”

Gideon, for once, has no reply- she can only stare as Harrow staggers closer.

“I have taken your whole life from you. But it’s never been mine- you’ve never been mine.”

Harrow’s crying as she does it, but her face is set, determined.

She takes Gideon’s face in her hands and presses their foreheads together. It’s the one soft moment she allows herself in all this.

“The Ninth stole you, Gideon Nav. We made you the first and finest flower of our house. But you were not ours to take.”

Gideon tries to say something but Harrow cuts her off, has to say this now or she’ll cave and not let go.

“I have taken and taken and taken of you. Please let me give it back. I’ve stolen blood and sweat and soul from you and I can’t—I have no claim to you, to any of you. I never have. You are your own. The least I can do is let go.”

So Gideon kneels, and there is a long, empty moment of silence. 

“Bullshit.”

And then she picks up the hem of Harrow’s robe and brings it to her lips in a formal Ninth gesture of supplication.

“Harrowhark Nonagesimus, I swear now to serve as your cavalier.”

She kisses Harrow’s knee.

“By my blade I will defend you. My deeds will honour you.”

Her fingers gently brush Harrow’s lips.

“My place is by your side, your words the first sound in my ears.”

She takes Harrow’s hand, uncurls the fisted fingers, and lays it on her own head.

“If my life is mine, then I’m laying it at your feet and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”

“One flesh, one end, loser.”

Harrow sobs a laugh and brings her hands up to encompass Gideon’s in a narrow, pale web.

“I can’t believe you looked up the cavalier ritual.”

Gideon shrugs a little, her eyes watery.

“I guess you’ve rubbed off on me, nerd.”

Harrow lifts herself onto her tiptoes and kisses Gideon’s forehead. Her voice, when she speaks, is still shaky, as the roots of herself are still unstable.

“Then, Gideon Nav, be my sword. My life is yours, from rising to setting down, and I am in your charge.”

She kisses each of Gideon’s eyes, gently, in turn.

“When you must look ahead, I will watch your back.”

Her lips move to Gideon’s mouth for a kiss that’s interrupted by a stuttering breath.

“When you fall, I will fall, and there we will be buried.”

The next part is thready with ragged, raw need.

“One flesh, one end.”

Gideon follows her mouth, as Harrow pulls away from their kiss to speak, magnetized to her movement. Half-lidded gold eyes, lashes wet, study Harrow’s face. 

“Now you can’t let go.”

“Oh, Griddle.” Harrow’s eyes are black and bottomless, like two windows into the space between the stars. “I have never wanted to.”


End file.
